Akita Rescue

We urge anyone looking for a loving companion to visit their local shelters before purchasing a dog from a breeder. If you just want a loving, loyal canine friend, a ‘pal’ – you will be saving a life by adopting a dog from a shelter. That dog will love you intensely and gratefully for the rest of its life. The next consideration… if you are determined the Akita is the companion for you, please consider adopting a rescued Akita from one of the many legitimate rescue groups. These dogs have been orphaned through no fault of their own, and they desperately need a home, love and someone to make up for the hardships most of them have suffered. below you will find Link links to various rescue groups.

Rescuing an Akita

The process of either adopting or rescuing a new dog and bringing it into your household can be many things: fun, scary, enlightening, and stressful. Several questions come to mind during this process as you learn about different breeds and the different types of qualities you’ll find among them. You may be asking if a particular breed is a shedder, if it gets along with other animals or children, or how long the life span is for that breed.

Akitas are a unique breed of dog, they are not particularly common in most parts of the United States and the average dog enthusiast may not know a whole lot about the breed. The breed comes from Japan, and most commonly is used as a large game hunting dog, and unfortunately is popular in the dog fighting scene. This is primarily due to the fact that they’re seen as a somewhat vicious dog or a guard dog.

Exercise and Compatibility with other dogs

Rest assured, you really don’t have to worry about an Akita being violent if you adopt one at a young age. Akitas are actually very friendly with their owners and families, as well as other dogs or cats in the home. They are great watchdogs and can be an outdoor dog year round since they’re extremely tolerant to cold weather.

Akitas are relatively easy to train, and are somewhat dependent on a regular exercise routine in order to stay healthy. Unfortunately they don’t have the strongest hearts of most dog breeds, and this is difficult with so many different heart diseases dogs are susceptible too in everyday life. Proper exercise with the Akita helps ensure a long happy life with a healthy heart.

Health Concerns with the Akita Breed

The Akita breed has an average life expectancy of 10 – 12 years, which is pretty standard for most dogs. They have commonly had issues in the past with their hips, elbows, and eyes, so these are key areas to get checked out on a regular basis. The two most common health defects that can be a problem for the breed are Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).

As stated earlier, the Akita breed is known for having some heart problems, and if you choose to adopt one you absolutely need to have them checked regularly for heart problems. Even the smallest issue that seems like nothing can quickly turn into a life-ending problem for the dog. It can be a bit expensive to have annual checkups on your dog, and if this is something you are uncomfortable with you may want to consider waiting on adopting on Akita, or possibly choosing another breed.

In most cases your Akita is going to live a long healthy life if you take the proper precautions with its health. Schedule regular vet visits, take your dog on walks and jogs, feed the dog regularly and try to avoid low quality foods, and try to make sure you give them a food that is designed to strengthen the heart.